Improved velocipede



2` Sheets--Sheetv 1 W. H. SMITHl Velocipd.

Pafemed July 13, 1869;

N. PETERS. Mmmm wnninglon, D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.Y

W. H. SMETH.

velocipede. l l

` Patented july 13, i869.

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ff@ m anni @Wina WILLIAM H. sIvII'rH, Aor NEWPORT, Buone ISLAND.

Letters Patent No.- 92,485, dated July 13, 1869.

IMPROVE!) VELOCIPEDE.

'.I.he- Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making p art of' the same.

To all whom 'it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM H. SMITH, of Newport, iiI the county of Newport, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and improved Yelocipede and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, 'and exact description thereof,ireference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Y Figure 1, plate 1, is an elevation of one side ofthe carriage, having three wheels.

Figure 2, plate 1, is a frontV elevation ofthe carriage, showing both treadles and their adjustable guides.

Figures 3 and 4, plate 1, are views, showing a yoked standard, adapted for a single rear wheel.

Figm'e 5, sheet 2, is a view in detail, and partlyin section, showing the' manner of connecting the steering-lever to the reach, and of applying a spring toit.'

Figures 6- and?, plate 2, areviews, showing'the constructionof one of the clutching-devices.

Figure 8, plate 2, shows an elevation ofthe rear guidewheels, and the manner of connecting them to the reach.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain improvements, which are applicable to either two-wheel or three-wheel velocipedes.

First, in applying to the shaft of the driving-wheel two pulleyclutches, and also an adiustable guideframe, and in providing such frame with rectilinear reciprocating treadles, which are connected, by c'ords or chains, to the said pulley-clutches, the latter being oonnected together by a cord or chain, all in such manner,

that while the treadles and their frames can be adjusted at diiierent angles, an alternate reciprocating motion, imparted to the treadles by the feet of the rider, will communicate `a continuous rotary motion to the said drive wheel, without the inconveniences attending crank-motion, as will be hereinafterv explained.

Secod,'in the application of .a spring to the steering-lever, in combination with a notched block, applied -to the'reach, whereby' the said lever dll be held positively in position, when it is adjusted in its notch, for guiding the machine in a straight line, as will be hereinafter explained.

Third, in amode of applying a spring between the reach and the axle-standard of the rear supportingwheel or wheels, so as to allow this axle to be turned either toward the right or left hand, for guiding the machine, and in providing the pivotal connection of lsaid standard to the reach with a stop-pin for limiting its motion, .as will be hereinafter explained.

'lo enable others skilled in the art to understand my inventiom will describe its construction and operation.

The front driving-wheel A, and its axle A', are rigidly connected, by means of a yoke-standard, C, to a front portion, E' of the reach E.

The rear wheel or wheels B, and axle B', are ,connected to the reach E, by means of a pivot, L, so that these wheels serve as the guide-wheels.

The lever G, which is pivoted to the reach E at G', and which underlies thisl reach, h as its extremities forked;- oneibrk embracing a grooved wheel, j, on an arm, hf, of the spindle!)1 of the steering-lever g2, and the other-fork-embracing a grooved wheel, s, lon an arm, which is fast to .the portion s2 of the rear-wheel standard 'I-I.

The spindle g1 of the steering-lever is passed through the reach E and its lower extension E', and upon this spindle, below the extension E', a rubber, helical, or other suitable spring, g, is applied, whichis held in place by a nut, as shown in' figs. l and 5.

Just in rear of the lever-spindle g1, and fastened on top of the reach E, is a block, q', in which a notch is made vfor receiving a steering-lever, g2, when this lever is inthe position indicated in figs. 1 and 5.

The spring g operates continually to draw down the steering-lever, so thatwhen this lever is in its notch,

vthespring will positively hold it therein;

The axle A' is made of sufficient length to receive upon it, on opposite sides of the wheel A, two clutchpulleys, a a; also, the eye-bearings of a frame, in which two treadles, c c, work.

The guide-frame for the treadles consists of two pairs of parallel rods, b b, one pair being arranged on each side ofthe wheel A, and connected by eye-bearings to the axle A',

The upper ends of the guides are connected together by a head-piece, b', which is centrally connected to a slide, d, that works on a segment, D.

The segment D is rigidly secured, at its front end, to the head of standard C, and extends backward and downward, in the are of a circle, concentric to the axis of theaxle A. A

The slide d is provided with a set-screw, d', for secIu'ing it rigidly to the segment D, according to 'the inclination it 'is desiredto have the treadle-guides b 'b b b'.

The treadles c c are connected to their respective guide-bars b, by means of tubes, sothat these treadles.

will slide up and down freely.

To both treadles, rods c' c are secured fast, which rods extend downward, and are connected, by their lower ends, to the clutch-pulleys a a, by means o f cords or chains e', which pass 'once or twice around these pulleys, in annular grooves therein, andare attached to the pulleys, so as to turn them in one direction, when the treadles are depressed.

A cord or chain, e, is passed over pulleys p, which are arranged at the upper ends of the inner guide-bars b b, and its ends carried aroimd annular grooves made in the clutch-pulleys a a, and fastened to these pulleys a a., so that when one treadle c is depressed, the pulley a ofthe opposite treadle will be turned, so as to wind up its cord or chain e', and raise its treadle. B v this` 'to check the progress of the carriage, with one hand,

the steering-lever.

arrangement of cords and treadles, it will be seen that the clutch-pulleys a a will receive anvintermittent rotary motion in one direction, by giving alternate reciprocating motions to the treadles.

Each pulley a has an annular chamber in one end, as shown in iigs. 6 and 7, and each pulley a is applied loosely upon its axle A. It is necessary to have each pulley turn loosely around its axle, in one direction, and to turn the axle when thepulley is turned in the opposite direction.

When the treadle of a pulley, a, is depressed, it is desired to have such pulleyturn the axle A', and when the same treadle is raised, by depressing the treadle on the opposite vside of driving-wheel A, it is desired to have its pulley Iturn loosely around its axle.

This is effected by means of a pawl, r, which is plv,- oted in the chamber in each pulley a, which pawl is connected,- by a rod, fu, to a disk, r;

The pawl fr' engages with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel, av', fixed on axle A', when the pulley a is turned forward; but when this pulley is turned backward, the pawl -is released from its ratchet-wheel, and, consequently, does not turn the axle A.

In iront of the steering-lever g2, and'pivoted at m to. the reach E, is a lever, J, one arm of which extends backward and upward, as shown in figs. 1 and 5, to a position Where it" can be conveniently reached by aV person sitting onthe saddle F.

The other arm of this lever J is extended down through the Aportion E of the reach, and curved forward, so as to form a shoe that will operate as a brake to wheel A, when the upper end ofthe lever is pressed upward. The brake, thus arranged, can be operated while the other hand may be grasping the handle of The saddle F is supported upon a semi-elliptical spring, f, which is secured in a suitable manner upon the reach E. I am aware that saddles for velocipedes have been pivoted at their ont ends, and sustained by springs under their rear ends, but I am not aware that a saddle has ever, before my invention, been mounted wholly upon a spring, as shown in tig. l. This arrangement entirely relieves the rider from shocks, and affords him an easy-riding seat.

. The standard of figs. 1 and 8 is adapted for two guidewheels, B B, and the standard H, of figs. 3 and 4, is adapted for a single guide-wheel; and as th'e upper connecting-portions of' 4these two standards are precisely alike, it is obvious that one standard can be substituted for the other, according as it may be de,- sired to have a bicycle or a tricycle.

From thc upper end s2 of the standard H, rises a cylindrical rod, or spindle, L, which is passed loosely through a semi-elliptic spring, t, through the reach E, and through al box, l', and provided with a nut on its upper end.

The spring t is between the reach and the `upperend s2 of the standard H, and affords elasticity to the reach, and comfort to the rider, and also increases vertically the bearing for the rod L ofthe said standard.

The rear side of the fixed box l is open; and from the rod La stop-pin, l, protrudes through saidopen' ing, and serves, by its striking against the box l', to

prevent the standard H from turning too far around, while 'steering thc carriage. s

Vertically, the openin g through box l should be such as will allow the reach to play up and down freely on its spring t.

Having described my invention,

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-f- 1. Clutch-pulleys a a, applied to the axle A ofthe driving-wheel A, and operated by means of cords and pulleys, and reciprocating treadles, which are applied to adjustable guides b, substantially as described.

2. The adjustable treadle-guides b b, pivoted to axle A', at their lower ends, and connected at their upper ends by a slide, (l, and screw d', to a segment, D, substantially as described.

3. Spring y, applied to the steering-lever, substantially as described.

4. The spring t, applied between the reach E and pivoted standard H, substantially as set forth.

W. H. SMITH.

Witnesses:

P. P. CARR, Jr., STEPHEN GoULn. 

